Objective: To identify a vulnerable group of colorectal cancer patients in India who cannot afford or are unable to comply with a treatment plan for colorectal cancer.
Aims:
1. To identify the proportion of CRC patients suffering catastrophic expenditure due to out-of-pocket payments for cancer treatment.
2. To determine the proportion of patients who are unable to comply with the treatment plan for CRC, at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after diagnosis.
3. To identify barriers and solutions to CRC treatment compliance. Design: A mixed-methods study comprising quantitative pilot data from 3 tertiary cancer centres and qualitative work from interviews with patients and healthcare professionals.
Participants: Patients diagnosed with primary colorectal cancer.
Outcomes:
Primary outcome:
• Incidence of catastrophic expenditure due to out-of-pocket payments for cancer care at 3 timepoints: 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after CRC diagnosis.
Secondary outcomes:
* Compliance to the initial treatment plan at three timepoints: 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after CRC diagnosis.
* Patients and healthcare professionals perspectives on patient compliance to CRC treatment.
* Identify the 5 main drivers (items charged to the patient) of CRC treatment cost.
* Colorectal cancer stage at the time of diagnosis.
